How video, social are leading with influence

Finding influencers has always been important for brands. The Internet has made it both harder and simpler to find influencers - for those brands that are nimble enough to follow trends. On expert explains how social and video content are leading the influencer charge.

Influencer marketing is becoming a huge strategy point for brands because of consumers' growing disinterest in 'traditional' ads and content. Today's consumers want to read and watch content that is relevant to their tastes, and many don't want ads to disturb their consumption. This is causing more brands to push ad dollars into influencer marketing - sponsoring YouTuber or Instagrammer content, for example.

"Video is becoming the king of influencer marketing because it offers near endless ways for brands, through influencers, to connect with consumers in a raw, intimate and captivating way," said Todd Cameron, Head of Content and Strategy, TapInfluence. "It's also very effective - Amazon and Dell have reported that video increases purchase intent by more than a third. With marketers and influencers seeing the engagement numbers for their video content going through the roof, they're making it a priority medium for their influencer campaigns."

According to Cameron, biology plays a part in consumers' interest in video because our brains process video up to 60,000 times faster than text. Those visual processes make it hard for consumers to resist compelling video content. And that is where social is coming in.

"Consider that YouTube is the second most popular search engine, third most popular website and has four billion views per day. Even though YouTube continues to rule in influencer marketing because of its indisputable reach and engagement, other social media channels are taking steps to steal some of YouTube's views," said Cameron.

In February Instagram began counting views on video clips, a move Cameron believes is another step for the social network to become more ad-friendly. Along with its position as the fastest-growing social network, and the fact that it shows 7 times more engagement than Twitter, Instagram's move to count those views may harken to another ad channel for brands interested in influencer marketing.

"The visual nature of the platform makes it an excellent discovery platform, especially among younger demographics who tend to gravitate toward mobile-first apps," said Cameron. "Brands are also taking advantage of its visual nature to have influencers portray their products in a variety of different usage scenarios, and inspire consumers to think about new ways they fit into their lifestyles."

More from Cameron and TapInfluence later this week, including how brands can tie their influencer ad spend to actual sales.